1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a system for retaining and ejecting an electronic module with an electrical connector.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
As is well known, many of today's laptop, notebook, desktop and other computers, as well as computer peripherals and other electronic products, are designed to receive removable devices such as cards conforming to standards established by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). These standards define the electrical and physical specifications of the card including the interfaces between the card and the port or slot into which the card is inserted. The specifications include a 16-bit PC Card interface and a 32-bit CardBus interface. The PCMCIA standards also specify three card form factors, called Type I, Type II and Type III. All three card types measure the same length (85.6 mm) and the same width (54.0 mm), and differ only in overall thickness. Thus, the Type I card has a thickness of 3.3 mm; the Type II card, 5.0 mm; and the Type III card, 10.5 mm. PCMCIA cards may be used for various purposes. For example, Type I cards are typically used for memory devices; Type II cards are typically used for I/O devices; and Type III cards are typically used to house rotating mass storage devices (disk drives). Presently, Type II cards are used principally as communication links, for example, for connecting the user of a host system such as a portable computer to an Ethernet LAN, as a data/fax modem for connecting the user to a subscriber telephone line system, or as a combined LAN and modem card.
There is a proposal for new types of PCMCIA cards or modules for electronic devices, such as laptop computers. The new types of PCMCIA cards can include a larger width card and one-half width cards. There is a desire to provide an electrical connector which can receive either the larger width card or, alternatively, two of the smaller width cards in a side-by-side configuration. There is also a desire to provide a PCMCIA electrical connector which has an ejection system that does not require a mechanical linkage assembly to eject the PCMCIA cards. There is also a desire to provide a PCMCIA electrical connector which has a card ejection spring that is not loaded when a card is inserted into the electrical connector at its operational inserted card position.